NMJC’s Kreutzer tied for first at tourney
NEWS-SUN STAFF REPORT
April 16, 2019
One day into the NJCAA Southwest Championship, the New Mexico Junior College men's golf team is tied for fourth as a team with Odessa College and Julius Kreutzer is tied for first as an individual at the Tanglewood Resort in Pottsboro, Texas.
The T-Birds finished the first 36 holes with a team score of 598. NMJC shot a 299 over the first 18 holes and then repeated that score over the next 18 holes.
Kreutzer shot an even par over the first 36 holes. He was two-under during the first 18 with a 68 and then finished two over with a 72 during the next 18 holes. Kreutzer is tied for first with Midland College's Callum Bruce and McLennan Community College's Matt Lorentzen. Hobbs graduate Tyler Cox finished with an 81 and a 77 to end the first day in a tie for 37th (158) while teammate Harvey Hill carded two 79s to join Cox in the tie for 37th. Liam Duncan shot an 80 and an 84 to finish tied for 47 with a 164.
Zhane Chan carded a 150, shooting a 75 on each of the first two rounds to finish the first day in 16th while Andrew Ni is tied for 17th with a 151. Ni shot a 76 and a 75.
As a team, the T-Birds are 11 strokes back of McLennan (587) while Ranger College (589) is in second. Midland (591) is third.
T-Birds split with Chaps
The New Mexico Junior College baseball team had a rough weekend. After losing both ends of a doubleheader to Midland College in Midland on Friday, the Thunderbirds split their doubleheader on Sunday, falling 9-5 in the first game before winning the nightcap 12-6.
In the nightcap, the T-Birds scored first, plating one run in the bottom of the first, but gave up four to the Chaparrals in the top of the second. NMJC scored twice to pull within one run in the bottom of the second, before retaking the lead in the bottom of the fourth with four runs. Midland cut NMJC's lead to 7-5 in the top of the fourth, but the T-Birds got the run back in the bottom of the fifth. The Chaps scored their final run in the top of the sixth while NMJC plated four more runs in the bottom of the eighth to cap its scoring.
Zac Vooletich crushed a pair of home runs while Soterio Ramriez and Adrian Torres each had one homer. Ollie Thompson had a double and a triple while Rody Barker and Carlos Contreras each doubled.
Vooletich had four RBI for the T-Birds while Barker drove in three and Ramirez knocked in two.
Chris Lata started the game, but lasted only two innings. Lata gave up four runs on four hits, three of which were home runs. Tristan Stivors took over in the third and threw the final seven innings to get the win. Stivors allowed seven hits and two walks, but struck out 14 while allowing two runs
Earlier in the day, the T-Birds held a 5-2 lead heading into the top of the fifth, but couldn't hold it. Midland scored twice in the fifth, cutting NMJC's lead to 5-4 and then plated four times in the sixth to take lead. Midland added one final run in the seventh.
Angel Delacruz and Ramirez each homered in the game while Vooletich had a triple.
Mark Barillas got the loss, allowing seven runs, five earned in five innings of work. Barillas struck out 11, but allowed five hits, three of which were home runs, and four walks.
With the split, NMJC falls to 27-12 on the season and 18-6 in Western Junior College Athletic Conference action. The T-Birds also slip from second in the WJCAC to third. Midland, which was third, is now tied for first with Odessa College as both programs are 19-5 in WJCAC play.
Salter rides to victory
The New Mexico Junior College rodeo team had a big weekend at the Howard College Rodeo over the weekend as Hunter Salter won the bull riding title. Salter scored an 81 on his first ride to take second and then won the short go with a 71. His 152 total points gave Salter the overall championship.
Maddy Haley finished sixth in goat tying. Haley split 6th/7th/8th/9th in the long go and split 5th/6th in the short go.